Phil Keoghan on TV Alert

Phil's new travel show, that he spoke about in our interview with him, will be premiering on A&E on Friday, January 24. Co-hosting with him will be Alex McLeod, currently the extremely scarce host of Joe Millionaire.

Friday , January 24 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM Best of Both Worlds

Hawaii

Phil Keoghan, our luxury traveler, and Alex McLeod, our budget traveler, visit the beautiful Hawaiian Islands of Kauai, Maui, Molokai, and Kona. While Phil enjoys succulent grilled fish prepared by executive chef Sato San, Alex gets a taste of the aloha lifestyle. Then, while Phil lives it up at the Mauna Lani Spa, Alex arrives at the coffee farm where she will stay for a couple of days.

Ha, Phil gets to be the luxury traveler, and Alex has to go cheap. Funny stuff in the making!

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS visits HONG KONG, Friday, January 17th, 2003 at 10pm/9 CT and HAWAII on January 24th at 10pm/9 CT.

Two hosts, one destination. A coin toss determines who will take the high road and who will take the low road, whether they travel luxury, or whether they rough it. Neither host knows until they arrive and the coin is tossed.

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS, hosted by Phil Keoghan and Alex McLeod (original host of the hit show Trading Spaces) usher in a new reality format for travel entertainment.

You'll get two unique perspectives for the price of one, and neither is predictable. By taking our travelers to the extremes, the show gives viewers a chance to see places and meet people they might never experience themselves.

You get to see how the rich and famous enjoy their vacations, but also get to experience the real culture of the destination that one only gets when you rough it. Money may let you relax more, but it's not always as stimulating. Phil says, "I love to discover the world where the tour agents don't take you. With this format, you get to see it, without turning off the viewers who like a bit of luxury."

They both get to meet some great local characters they wouldn't meet any other way. It truly is the best of both worlds.

The Best of Both Worlds to Hong Kong was an excellent show. I watched some of the show but missed part of it. Hopefully, it will be rebroadcasted on A & E or someplace else.

Quote:
A&E's innovative new series debuts with a look at one of the most exciting cities on earth: Hong Kong. Our two hosts know where they're heading, but they don't know in advance who gets to go the five-star route and who is going to experience this vibrant city on a backpacker's budget. After the coin flip to decide, they are on their ways, the luxury tourist to savor the "crème de la crème" of luxury hotels and internationally renowned restaurants, the budget traveler to be immersed in the vibrant sights, sounds and culture of this extraordinary metropolis. Of course, their paths cross at times, and both get to share favorite moments from their extraordinary visit.

At Hong Kong airport, Alex won the coin toss. She went on to the Mandarian Hotel which has a rooftop heliport, luxury sauna/pool, massage/butler attandants, and a huge suite overlooking H.K. harbour. Phil loss the coin toss. He went on to a small budget hostel. His room was spartan and was probably smaller than the closet at the Mandarian. His window overlooked a busy street market, which sold everything including the kitchen sink and bargain counterfeit watches/softwares/etc...Alex ate at expensive restaurants whereas Phil ate from street venders.....Later, Phil rowed in the local dragon boat races whereas Alex rode in a yacht/sailboat....

I have the last half of the Hong Kong episode on video--I'm assuming it was a 1 hr program. I saw Alex and Phil take a primer from Wing Chun Kung Fu Master Liang [sp?]. Phil took his female row [boat] captain out to eat snake soup and drink cobra blood, or something. I saw the peddler-snake charmer bite a head off a live snake a la Ozzy Ozborne and the bat. Very gross.
Phil looked not as tanned and a bit puffy, like he's lifting way too many weights and avoiding aerobics, at least to me. Missed the Hawaii episode, darn it. Phil should remember that the television camera makes one appear to have ADDED weight.